Air conditioning apparatus



1957 L. w. ATCHISON AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1955 FIG.!

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I NVENTOR. LEON ARD W- ATCH ISON HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 3, 1955 1 FIGS 4 a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l- NVENTOR LEONARD w. ATCHlSON HIS ATTORNEY L. w. ATCHISON 2,782,611

United rates ate'nt C 2,182,511 CONDITIONING APPARATUS L'eonardWt Atchison, Loiiis'ville, Ky assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application'N'ovember 3, 1955, Serial No. 544,681 4Clai'nis. or. 62-129) My invention relates to a self-contained, air conditioning unit and more particularly to the air circulation arrangement through such unit.

In a self-contained, air conditioning unit, it is quite common to associate air circulating fans with both the evaporator and condenser coil in the refrigeration system of the unit. The evaporator and condenser are generally of the fin and tube tube. The evaporator fan moves room air over the evaporator to extract heat from the air and the condenser fan moves outside air over the condenser for the dissipation of the heat extracted from the room air. While the propeller fan has been widely used, improved performance has been obtained with the use of a helically wound evaporator and condenser coil having a plurality of turns each encompassing a fan of the centrifugal type. With the centrifugal blower, air drawn into the center of the blower is moved radially outwardly through the coils. The use of the centrifugal blower and its axial intake therefore requires modified air battling means within the unit from that of the propeller fan arrangement in order to obtain the proper circulation through the unit of inside and outside air. With the propeller fan moving air directly over the condenser, condensate from the evaporator could be thrown into the air stream by the fan when: it would contact most of the condenser surfaces and be evaporated. The condenser air flow pattern where a centrifugal blower is used makes proper distribution of condensate over the condenser diftficult.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved combination of heat transfer coils and means for circulating the inside and outside air through a self-contained, air conditioning unit. I I

It is another object. of my invention to provide new and novel means for adjustably proportion-mg the amount of outdoor air to be mixedwith the recirculated room air.

It is a further object of my invention to provide new and novel means for employing. a centrifugal blower as means for disposing of the moisture condensed from the room air by the evaporator while cooling the condenser in a self-contained, air conditioningunit.

It is a still further object. of my invention to provide a self-contained, air conditioning unit in which the air paths through the unit are so arranged that they contribute most effectively to eflicient operation and inherently take advantage of thermodynamic effects in the system. H p

In carrying out my invention, I provide a self-contained, air conditioning unit for cooling the within a roorn having a pair of blowers to move the room air and outside air through the'unit. The evaporator and condenser of the refrigeration apparatus within the unit are arranged as helical coils and each encompass a blower. Various partitions are provided in the unit which, under certain conditions of operation, permit only room to be moved over the evaporator and only outside air over the condenser. I also provide means within one of the partitions for adjustably adding a portion of the outside air flowing through the unit with the. room air. In, a preferred form, my unit also includes improved means including a rotating belt to collect the condensate falling from the evaporator and add this condensate to the condenser air stream for spraying it over selected portions of a helical condenser coil.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention, however, both as to its organization and method of operation may behest understood by reference to the following. description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a self-contained, air conditioning unit which incorporates an embodiment of my invention;

Fig; 2 is a vertical sectional view of the air conditioner of Fig. 1' taken'substanti'ally along line 22;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the air conditioner taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section-a1 plan view of an air conditioning unit which incorporates a modification of my invention.

Referring now to- Fig. l, I have shown therein a selfcontained, air conditioningunit 1 adapted to be mounted in a window of the room to be conditioned. The conditioner 1 includes a portion 2. projecting into the room and. a portion 3 projecting without the room. A gasket 4, is provided intermediate the two portions to prevent leakage of outdoor air through the window into the room.

The room air to be cooled is drawn into the unit through an openingv 5 extending longitudinally across the front of the indoor. portion 2. After being cooled the room air is then discharged outwardly hack into the room through an opening 6 adjacent the opening 5 and also extending longitudinally across the front of the indoor portion 2. The heat absorbed by the unit. from the indoor air stream passing therethrough is rejected .to an outdoor air stream which is also circulated through the unit. This outdoor air is drawn into the unit through a lateral Opening/7 inthe outdoor portion 3 and through another opening 8 in the rear of the outdoor portion 3. This outdoor air stream: is then discharged back into the atmosphere through the opening 9 in the outdoor portion 3. The openings 8 and9 are not shown in Fig. 1 as they are located at the rear of the air conditioner and will be seen by reference to 'Fig. 3..

As shown by Fig. 2, for setting up the indoor and outdoor air circulation, there; are included in the unit 1 a pair of centrifugal blowers wand 11 arranged with'their axis: perpendicular to the plane of the Window. These blowers are driven by suitable driving means such as an electric motor 12 mounted within the 'unit on U-shaped bracket 13 secured by-bolts 14't0 a boss 15. Suitable electrical connections are made so as to actuate motor 12 during the operation of my air conditioner but are not shown.

Referring, no'wtoFig. 3, the motor has a shaft 16 provided with extensions 17' and 18 on opposite. sides of the motor. The blowers 10 and -11 are coaxially arranged and are fixed internally to shaft extensions 17 and 18 respectively in a convenient manner such as by hub and spider arrangements 19, 20. Thus the motor 12" drives the pair of blowers in unison.

, A conventional closed circuit refrigeration system is also arranged within the unit l consisting of an evaporator 21, a condenser 22, and compressor 22a connected in a series flow relationship. The closed refrigeration system in which they are connected is shown rather schematically and it will be understood that any of the well-known refrigeration systemsmay'be used.

The evaporator 21 is formedfrom a single tube 23'having fins 24'wound in a plurality of turns to form a: helical coil. The condenser is likewise formed in a similar manner from a helically wound tube 25 having fins 26. The helical coil formed by the evaporator 21 is made of sufficient diameter so. that it can be arranged concentrically with respect to the blower 10 and encompasses the blower around its peripheral extremities. The condenser 22 is likewise arranged concentrically to encompass the blower 11.

Adjacent the evaporator 21, I provide a partition 27 which extends across the inner portion of the unit 1 under the gasket 4 and divides the unit internally into the sections defined by portions 2 and 3. The partition 27 is provided with an orifice 28 which is arranged immediately adjacent an axial intake of the blower 10. I also provide an L-shaped partition 29 within the portion 3 as shown in Fig. 3 which contains an orifice 30 arranged immediately adjacent an axial intake of the blower 11. Thus the partitions 27, 29 unite to form with the walls of portion 3 a motor compartment 31. It will be noted that the extensions 17 and 18 of the motor shaft 16 are centrally arranged with respect to the orifices 28 and 30 and extend therethrough to drive blowers 10, 11.

At the forward end of portion 2, I provide an end cap 32 containing the openings 5, 6 which is suitably positioned on portion 2. These openings 5, 6 may be covered in any suitable manner such as a grille or with grille cloth. Room air entering inlet moves through an air directing, cup-like member 33 having an orifice 34 arranged within the end wall of portion 2 directly behind the inlet grille 5. The orifice 34 is arranged immediately adjacent the axial intake of the blower opposite from orifice 28 in partition 27 and directs room air to the blower intake when the blower operates. A discharge opening 35 is also provided within the end wall of portion 2 directly behind the end cap opening 6 for discharging the cooled room air.

As shown in Fig. 3, the grille opening 7, which may also be covered with a suitable grille or grille cloth, communicates compartment 31 with the outside air. The outside air can therefore move through the orifices 28, 30 to an axial intake of blowers 10, 11 respectively.

Within the end wall of portion 3, an air directing, cuplike member 36 is arranged directly behind the inlet 8 and contains an orifice 37 which is arranged immediately adjacent an axial intake of the blower 11. The opening 9 in the end wall of portion 3 adjacent the opening 8 is arranged to discharge the outside air from the unit. The compressor 22a of the refrigeration system is located within the portion of 3 behind the outlet 9. The openings 8, 9 may also be covered in a suitable manner with a louvercd grille or grille cloth.

I provide a saucer-shaped valve member 38 slidably mounted on the shaft extension 17 and movable by any convenient means such as a lever (not shown) into sealing engagement with the orifice 28. When the valve member 38 is in sealing engagement with the orifice 28, there is no communication between portion 2 and the motor compartment 31.

explained, I have provided a new and improved means within the unit 1 for conditioning the air passing therethrough. Referring now to Fig. 3, when my air conditioner is actuated room air is drawn into the unit 1 through inlet 5 and orifice 34 guided by member 33 and into an axial intake of the blower 10 as it is rotated by motor 12. The air is then moved radially outwardly by the blower and through the evaporator coils 21. Heat is extracted from the air by the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator coil and cool air is discharged back into the room through openings 35 and 6 in the unit end wall. Only room air is circulated over the evaporator 21 if the sliding valve member 38 has been moved into sealing engagement with the orifice 28 in the partition 27 as this prevents any communication in portion 2 with outside air drawn into compartment 31. Also, gasket member 4 prevents outside air entering the room through the window around the unit.

In portion 3 of the unit, the outside air is drawn in by the rotation of blower 11 through opening 8 in the end wall and through orifice 37 into an axial intake of the blower. In a manner similar to the action of blower 10, the air is then moved radially outwardly over the condenser coil 22. The heat which has been absorbed by Referring now to Fig. 2, in the lower portion of the unit 1, the bottom wall of the unit is inclined rearwardly from the evaporator 21 and terminating in a sump portion 39. The shaft extension 18 is provided with a slinger 40 positioned between the motor 12 and the orifice 30 and consisting of a pulley-shaped cylindrical body having a V-groove 41 around its periphery. A flexible, annular ring or belt 42 is seated in the groove 41 and depends downwardly into the space defined bythe sump 39;

Arranged also on the motor shaft extension 18 on the side of the orifice 30 opposite from the motor and within the center portion of blower 11 is a thin-wall, tubular distribution chamber 43 having a plurality of perforations 44 within its cylindrical wall. As shown in Fig. 2, I also provide an annular, arcuate extension 45 arranged at the end of the chamber 43 which extends through the orifice 30 and encompasses a portion of the slinger 40. a a

. In accordance with my invention and as will now be the evaporator 21 from the room air is now transferred from the condenser coil 22 to the outside air as it moves over the coil. After the outside air has moved over the condenser, it flows over the compressor 22a, which is arranged in the air path, absorbing heat also from it before being discharged through opening 9 back to the surrounding atmosphere.

Outside air is also admitted to blower 11 through the lateral opening 7 in portion 3 where it flows from compartment 31 through orifice 30 into an axial intake of the blower. If it is desired to mix outside air with the room air entering blower 10, the member 38 can be withdrawn from sealing engagement with orifice 28 by sliding it by suitable means such as a lever (not shown) along the shaft extension 17 and outside air entering opening 7 can flow from compartment 31 through this orifice to an axial intake of the evaporator blower 10. The amount of outside air admitted in proportion to the room air admitted to the blower 10 can be regulated by the position of the valve member 38 with respect to the orifice 28.

Another feature of my invention is the condensate disposal means that I provide in conjunction with the unit 1. Referring now to Fig. 2, moisture condensing on the evaporator coil 21, when the room air is cooled, will fall to the bottom wall of the unit from where it flows through a narrow slot 46 in the partition 27 to the sump 39. The slot 46 is of such size that very little air will pass through it when the unit is operating and therefore no substantial interference with the air circulation in the unit occurs. As the motor shaft rotates, the ring 42 depending from the slinger 40 dips into the condensate collected in the sump 39 carrying it over the slinger where centrifugal force slings the condensate water outwardly at an angle determined by the V-groove 41. Part of the water which is slung outwardly is caught by the extension 45 on the distribution chamber 43 and the water moves inwardly over the inner wall of the distributing chamber. This water flowing within the distribution chamber will flow through the perforations 44 and be carried by both the condenser air stream set up by the blower 11, and centrifugal force over the surfaces of the condenser coil 22. Thus the condenser is cooled by this condensate increasing its capacity and thereby increasing the capacity of the cooling system. In addition, the condensate is disposed of by evaporation and is carried to the outside by the air stream.

The condenser coil 22 is so arranged and connected into the system that the turns nearest the chamber 43 are flooded'by liquid refrigerant. The condensate inside the chamber 43 will flow first through the group of perforathat downstream portion of thecondenser which is flooded by liquid refrigerant opposite the first group of perforations to obtain the best possible use of evaporative cooling to super-cool the refrigerant. In the event that there is such a large supply of condensate that all does not flow through these first perforations, the excess will flow further along inside the chamber where it will pass through the remaining perforations and be dissipated by being thrown against the remaining coils of the condenser. Although the use of this type of extension 45 shown in Fig. 2 to direct condensate into the blower 11 is the preferred construction of this feature of my invention, other arrangements may be employed. For instance, an accumulator or collector may be arranged above the blower to receive part of the water leaving the slinger and by means of a trough or tube the water can be directed by gravity flow to the inside of the blower 11.

Fig. 4 is a modification of my invention in which the motor shaft is arranged parallel to the window opening rather than perpendicular as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. In this modification, I provide an air conditioning unit consisting of an indoor portion 48 and an outdoor portion 49 which are arranged on opposite sides of a. Window air sealing gasket 56. Within the unit, a motor '51 having a shaft 52 drives the pair of blowers 53 and 54 mounted coaxially by end plates-55 and 56 on shaft extensions 57 and 58 respectively. A closed circuit refrigeration system containing evaporator 59, condenser 60, and compressor 61 similar to those employed in the embodiment of Fig. 3 is also arranged within the unit and the evaporator 59 and condenser 60 encompass and are concentric with the blowers 53 and 54 respectively.

An L-shaped partition 62 is provided with the interior of the unit and contains 'an orifice 63 communicating with an axial intake of the evaporator blower 53. The room air is admitted to the unit through an opening 64 and discharges through an outlet 65 in the front wall of portion 48. Openings 64, 65 may be provided with a suitable grille or grille cloth. The'partition 62 defines with the Walls of the unit a compartment '66 which contains the blower 53, evaporator 59, and the room air discharge opening 65.

I also provide a partition 67 within the unit which defines with partition 62 an air inlet passage 68 communieating through orifice 63 with the compartment 66. The partition 67 is provided with air fiow control means such as a damper 69 pivoted by any suitable means such as shaft 76 on the free end of partition 67 into air-sealing engagement with partition 62. This damper may be pivoted by any suitable operating means such a a lever (not shown) to the dotted line position of Fig. 4 to conirnunicate compartment 63 with an outside air inlet 71 in the rear wall of portion 49 of the unit. I also provide within the interior of the unit 47 another partition 72 containing an orifice 73 which defines a compartment 74 housing the compressor 61, a condenser 60, and condenser blower 54 and having an outside air discharge opening 75. During the operation of blower 54 the outside air is drawn into the unit through the inlet 71 and passes through the orifice 73 into the axial intake of the blower. After passing over the condenser 60 and over the compressor 61 it is discharged through the outlet 75.

To dispose of the condensate collected from the evaporator coil 59, I provide a slinger 76 mounted on shaft extension 58 together with a flexible ring 77. In a manner similar to the embodiment of Fig. 2, the ring depends into the area defined by a sump (not shown) in the bottom of the unit. A water distribution chamber 78 containing perforations 79 and having an arcuate extension 80 is also positioned on shaft extension 58 adjacent the slinger partially Within the blower 54. The components of this condensate handling means are similar to those employed in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

In the operation of the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 4 when the damper 69 is in the sealing position of Fi g. 4- the te th at is drawn into the unit through inlet 64 andl'into the axial intake of the blower 53 through orifice 63. The air' is then moved radially outwardly over the evaporator coil 5-9. Heat. is transferred from the room air to the refrigerant flowing in the evaporator and cool air is discharged into the room through outlet 65. It can be seen in Fig. 4 that the end plate 55 of the blower 53 seals the other axial intake of the blower 53.

The outside air is drawn into the unit by the blower 54" through the inlet 71 and is moved through orifice 73 in the partition 72 into the axial int'akeof' the blower. I The air moves radially outwardly through condenser coil 60,. over the compressor 61 and out into the atmosphere through the outlet 75. Thus theheat which is absorbed by the evaporator 59 from the room air is transferred to the outside air by coil 60. Heat from the compressor 61 is also absorbed by the outside air as it circulates before it leaves the unit improving its operation. The end plate 56 on blower 54- provides an end seal as in blower 53 so that air is admitted to only one axial intake of the blower.

The action of the condensate disposal means is similar to that of. the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1. The ring 77 picks up the condensate from the sump (not shown) and transfers it to the slinger 76 on the motor shaft extension 58. A portion of the water thrown by the slinger is caught by the arcuate bathe and the water flows into the water distribution chamber 78. The water then moves through the perforations 79 aided by both centrifugal force and the condenser air stream over the condenser coil 60 absorbing heat from the condenser. 'In addition, the condensate is disposed of by evaporation and is carried to the outside by the air stream. If desired, the downstream portion of the con denser 60 Which is flooded by liquid refrigerant may be arranged adjacent the chamber 78 in a manner similar to the embodiment. of Fig. 1.

If it is desired to mix part of the outside air with the recirculated room air, the damper 69 can be pivoted by any suitable means such as a lever (not shown) to a selected position to permit a portion of the outside air entering through inlet 71 to be directed into the intake of the blower 53 through the orifice 63 to mix with the room air. This proportioning of room air and outside air can be regulated by the position of the damper as the greater the opening the more outside air will be admitted.

I have therefore provided a new and improved air distribution means for a self-contained, air conditioning unit in which coaxially arranged centrifugal blowers are respectively encompassed concentrically by a helically wound evaporator and condenser coil. Through the use of a limited number of partitions Within the unit, the room air may be circulated over the evaporator coil in a simple and direct manner taking advantage of maximum heat transfer to improve the cooling characteristics of the evaporator. Also the outside air is circulated over the condenser coil in a manner to obtain the maximum transfer of heat from the coil. Through my extremely simple and easily controlled valve member, proportioning of outside air and room air is greatly simplified and the operator need only make a small adjustment to admit outside air to the recirculated room air in any desired amount. Through this new and improved design for the unit I have been able to effectively dispose of the condensate by a structure which serves to move the condensate over a selected portion of the condenser where the greatest cooling is required when the amount of condensate is limited. Where additional condensate is available the entire condenser coil surfaces can be cooled. Thus my condensate handling means not only effectively increases the capacity of the unit but quickly and etficiently eliminates the condensate from the system.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a self-contained unit for conditioning a room, a casing for said unit, first partitioning means within said casing defining a pair of compartments, a pair of openings in each of said compartments, said pair of compartments adapted to communicate with the room air and outside air respectively, a motor in said casing having a shaft, a centrifugal blower in each of said compartments fixed, respectively, to one end of said shaft, a refrigeration system in said casing comprising an evaporator, condenser and compressor, said evaporator and condenser each substantially encompassing and concentric with one of said blowers, whereby said evaporator blower moves room air and said condenser blower moves outside air, an orifice in said first partitioning means communicating with said evaporator blower, second partitoning means in one of said compartments having an orifice adjacent said condenser blower, an opening in said casing whereby outside air is admitted to each of said blowers through said orifices, means mounted on said motor shaft movable into air sealing engagement with said orifice in said first partitioning means.

2. In a self-contained unit for conditioning a room, a casing for said unit, partitioning means within said casing defining a pair of compartments, said pair of compartments adapted to communicate respectively with the room air and outside air, a motor in said casing having a shaft, a blower in each of said compartments fixed, respectively, to one end of said shaft, a refrigeration system in said casing comprising an evaporator, condenser, and compressor, said evaporator and condenser each substantially encompassing and concentric with one of said blowers whereby said evaporator blower moves room air and said condenser blower moves outside air, an orifice in said partitioning means to admit outside air to said evaporator blower, and an annular dished member slidable on said motor shaft into sealing engagement with said orifice.

3. In a self-contained unit for conditioning a room, a casing for said unit having a sump, first partitioning means within said casing defining a pair of compartments, a pair of openings in each of said compartments, said pair of compartments each adapted to communicate with the room air and outside air respectively, a motor in said casing having a shaft, a centrifugal blower in each of said compartments fixed, respectively, to one end of said shaft, a refrigeration system in said casing comprising an evaporator, condenser, and compressor, said evaporator and condenser each substantially encompassing and concentric with one of said blowers whereby said evaporator blower moves room air and said condenser blower moves outside air, an orifice in said first partitioning means communicating with said evaporator blower, second partitioning means in one of said compartments having an orifice adjacent said condenser blower, an inlet in said casing whereby outside air is admitted to each of said blowers through said orifice, means mounted on said motor shaft movable into air sealing engagement with said orifice in said first partitioning means, a cylindrical member having a peripheral groove on said motor shaft, a belt associated with said groove and depending into said sump to supply water to said cylindrical member, a foraminous annular member on said shaft arranged to receive water from said cylindrical member and allow it to pass through said perforations over said condenser.

4. In a self-contained unit for conditioning a room, a casing for said unit, first partitioning means having an opening disposed within said casing and defining first and second compartments, a pair of openings in each of said compartments, said first compartment adapted to communicate with the room air and said second compartment with the outside air, a motor in said casing having a shaft, a centrifugal blower in each of said compartments fixed, respectively, to one end of said shaft, a refrigeration system in said casing comprising an evaporator, condenser, and compressor, said evaporator and condenser each substantially encompassing and concentric with said blower in said first and second compartments respectively, second partitioning means in said first compartment having an orifice adjacent said evaporator blower, third partitioning means in said second compartment having an orifice adjacent said condenser blower, and a pivotable damper movablefrom sealing engagement with said opening in said first partitioning means to allow a portion of said outside air to flow through the orifice in said second partitioning means into said evaporator blower.

References Cited in the file of this patent Peltier, Feb. 7, 1950 

